Sins of the Mother
by CurrerBell1847
Summary: Persephone is different and frightens the other children. She has yet to learn about the world to which she truly belongs. She will soon learn about her world and the sinister reputation of her parents
1. Chapter 1

**First ever FanFic! Oy vey, what am I getting my self into :p**

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Chapter One: Different

Persephone was a rather conspicuous young girl. She had jet black, wildly curly hair and no matter how ferociously the nuns at St. Margaret's Home for Girls tried to comb it, it refused to untangle. On one particularly memorable occasion, Sister Luke became so distressed with that unmanageable head of hair that she cut the girls locks clean off. Even more distressing to Sister Luke however, was the fact that by the next morning, the girl's hair had grown back.

She was average height and her features were fine and delicate. A small, strait nose was planted firmly upon a heart-shaped face above a round, rosebud mouth. Pink circles graced her ivory cheeks. Her eyes however, refused to be dainty and delicate like the rest of her face. Large, dark, and heavily lidded, they were the eyes of a much older person, perhaps a queen or Egyptian Pharaoh. Those eyes made it clear to all the other little girls at St. Margaret's that Persephone was different. She did not make friends easily

It wasn't just her appearances that dissuaded other children from befriending her, for everyone at St. Margaret's knew her parents were murderers. It was common knowledge that Persephone was born in prison and that her parents were sentenced to life behind bars. "Them Lestrange's" a rodent faced girl by the name of Becky whispered, "they're as bad as the devil! Killed more 'en twenty innocent people I heard." The other girls all nodded gravely. "They're more 'en bad" she continued, "there completely mental! It's only a matter a time before _she_ goes the same way."

The infamous reputation of Persephone's parents might have been overlooked if it hadn't been for the strange things that happened around her every once and a while. Once a group of girls was playing with a dollhouse. When they refused to let Persephone join, the dollhouse exploded. "She- she did it! She's possessed!" one girl hollered.

"No, I- I don't know how it happened, I swear!" Persephone cried.

More than once while the girls took their weekly stroll through London, people seemed to recognize Persephone. People would whisper "I'd no those eyes anywhere" and others pulled their children out of her way.

Persephone also had a strange association with snakes. While the children were tending the garden, a favorite activity, a garden snake slithered its way onto a student galosh. She shrieked in fear and kicked the poor creature. Later, Persephone was found, seemingly conversing with the serpent. "T'was a snake that tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden!" she overheard mother superior whisper to another nun. "There is something evil about befriending a snake… and did you hear the way she hissed at it? It sounded like- like she was talking to it! And it was hissing back!"

After the snake story spread around the school, the girls stayed clear of poor Persephone and she was left more or less alone until her eleventh birthday. At first she tried to play with the other girls, tried quite desperately to earn their approval and be welcomed into the fold, but eventually, she gave up. Rejection is a queer thing. Some people are motivated by rejection and redouble their efforts in the hopes of achieving acceptance. Others, like Persephone, arm themselves against it with a shield of aloofness. "If they don't want to play with me, I don't want to play with them" she once said on the morning of her eleventh birthday to the kind old Sister Assumpta, one of the few people with whom Persephone was able to form a relationship.

"Persephone my child, let them get to know you and see how bright and kind you are!" she pleaded. But Persephone refused. Persephone did not like to feel vulnerable. "You are not responsible for the sins of your parents, my dear. You mustn't believe you are tainted because of them."

"It isn't that Sister, it's more than that. I just don't fit in. I'm different."

"We are all the same in the eyes of God" Sister Assumpta replied "and those girls would be lucky to have a friend like you." But Persephone just shook her head.

Sister Assupmta would have continued her attempted persuasion if she hadn't been distracted by a strange tapping noise coming from the window. Persephone and Sister Assumpta turned their heads to see a brown barn owl lightly pecking at the glass of the window, an envelope fastened to its leg.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

For a brief moment, Persephone stared at the odd vision in awe. She had never seen its like. An owl carrying what appeared to be a letter? Then some deep instinct stirred in her. She rushed to the window and opened it. The owl flew in and perched itself gracefully upon the sill and stuck out its leg. She removed the letter and opened it feverishly. "What could this be?" she wondered. She ripped the envelope open and read

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Persephone Lestrange,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva Mcgonagall

She stared at the parchment, unable to decode the words. "witchcraft? Hogwarts? What is this?" She uttered softly.

"Persephone my dear, get away from that bird!" Sister Assumpta said. "What on earth is going-" but before she could finish, another owl darted in the open window and assumed the same position as its predecessor. "Oh, don't touch it! It's filthy!" but Persephone was already removing the letter and prying the sealing wax apart.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Persephone Lestrange,

Muggle born and muggle raised students accepted to Hogwarts are pardoned from the July deadline and can expect a professor to visit their residents one week from the date and time of this letters arrival. Please save any questions for this meeting

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva Mcgonagall

Persephone looked at the clock "10:11" she said out loud, "Tuesday at 10:11".

The two owls looked at her expectantly while Sister Assumpta carried out a hopeless attempt to lure them back out the window using a broom. "What do you want?" Persephone said. They stared at her, then at the stale cookies Sister Assumpta had brought her. "Oh!" she jumped up and brought them each a small, stale yet satisfactory, cookie. They devoured the treat before taking a practiced dive out the window and into the morning sky.

The following week was euphoric for Persephone. Never had she had something so exciting to look forward to. "This is my chance" she thought eagerly, "to escape this place!" She did not share the contents of her letters with anyone, not even Sister Assumta. She was too afraid that everyone would think it was a joke. She was even more afraid that it really was a joke. What if there was no Hogwarts? What if it was all a cruel trick? She quickly put the thought out of her head. It was much more fun to imagine herself at a school learning witchcraft than stuck at St. Margaret's, the laughing stalk of the school.

When Tuesday at 10:11 finally came, Persephone was beside herself. Of course no one knew she was expecting a visitor. What if they didn't let her visitor in? what would happen then? But her fears were allayed when Sister Luke knocked on the door to the girls dormitory.

"Persephone?" She said before opening the door, "You have a visitor. This is Professor Snape." Persephone looked up to examine her visitor. He was not very tall and his hair was long and somewhat oily looking. He had a hooked nose and his eyes were dark and penetrating. When he looked at her, Persephone had the feeling he could see right into her mind. "Why don't I bring you two to the morning room."

"It's real!" she thought gleefully before hoisting herself off her bunk and following Sister Luke to the morning room.

When the group reached their destination, Sister Luke made her excuses and left the two alone. As soon as she was gone, Professor Snape stood up, took a long thin stick out of his pocket and silently waved it about. "There." He said with some finality. "Now we will not be overheard."

"Professor Snape" Persephone questioned "if I might ask- " but he cut her off.

"Miss Lestrange" he drawled, "I am sure you have a number of burning questions but let me first explain your situation."

Persephone was slightly surprised by his interruption. She looked at him wide eyed and without saying a word, sat down and waited.

"Thank you." he replied, the hint of a smile playing around his mouth. Persephone had the feeling he did not smile often. "Miss Lestrange, you are a witch." He looked at her anticipating the need to quiet her once more, but she did not speak. "Have you ever made something strange happen? Ever broken something while you were angry or perhaps moved something with your mind?"

"Well, I don't know…" She began. Then she thought of the dollhouse, "Yes." she said firmly.

Snape began once more, "These small accidents are just hints at what you can do once you have a wand and an education from Hogwarts. At Hogwarts you will learn a number of magical subjects including charms, transfiguration, herbology, defense against the dark arts and my subject, potions. I will not waste my time or yours giving you detailed descriptions of these subjects, you can read about them in your books."

Again he looked at her, ready to scold if necessary, but again she remained quiet. "Hogwarts is comprised of four houses. It is with your house mates that you will spend most of your time. You are sorted by distinguishing character traits. The first house is Gryffindor and its students are known for their-" he took a slight pause, "bravery" if Persephone was not mistaken, there was a slight air of contempt in his voice. "Ravenclaw is the next house and its students are known to be clever and studious, Hufflepuffs are loyal and the last house, the house to which I hold the position of head, is Slytherin. Its students are known for their cunning and wit. Both your parents belonged to this house."

Persephone's face paled and finally she spoke up "My- my parents? You know about my parents?"

"I dare say I know a bit more about them than you do Miss Lestrange." He stated.

"Then- you know they're in prison? Do others know?" She began to frown. Persephone was hoping to escape the reputation of her parents.

"Oh yes, I know. They are quite famous in the wizarding world and though some idolize them, I must warn you, most people despise or fear them."

Her nervous expression became one of curiosity. "What do you mean some idolize them?"

Professor Snape paused, looking mildly irritated. "Bellatrix and Rudolfus Lestrange were part of an elite group of pure blood wizards and witches" Persephone opened her mouth to ask a question but Snape cut her off. "A pure blood is a wizard or which who can trace his or her bloodline back hundreds of generations without encountering a muggle. A muggle is a non-magic person, like the residents of this institution. You will be considered to be of the purest blood."

"Is that a good thing?" she questioned

Snape sighed before continuing. "Some would say so. The Lestranges most definitely did. They were Death Eaters, followers of a dark wizard who wished to purify the wizarding race and it was under his orders that they committed the acts that landed them in Azkaban." He anticipated her next question, "Azkaban is the high security wizarding prison."

"What did they do? My parents?"

"The Lestranges tortured a pair of Aurors, magical law enforcers, into Insanity using an illegal curse." Snape said without any sign of emotion.

Persephone looked at him with furrowed brows. "Why?" She said simply

"The Dark Lord had disappeared and they believed the aurors knew where he was. The Lestranges were quite devoted, in fact your mother prided herself in being his most faithful and trusted servant. She loved and valued The Dark Lord and his cause more than life itself."

Persephone did not know what to make of this. Had her parents truly been evil, or were they fighting for something good? Snape did not seem to have a definite opinion, or at least he was not making his opinion clear. Regardless of whether her parents were good or bad, Persephone was soaking up this information. Growing up parentless leaves a hole in a child's heart that can never truly be filled. Never had Persephone known the unconditional love of a mother and from what she could tell from Snape's description, her mother was capable of great love.

"Miss Lestrange, I think you will that find at Hogwarts many students have former Death Eaters for parents. Many of their parents committed similar crimes; they just got away with it." She felt relief at these words. Maybe she would make friends at this school. "The Lestranges might have been granted their freedom, but your mother refused to deny her loyalties. Some will hate you because of your parents, but most will be open minded and some will like you all the better for your parentage. Your cousin for instance, Draco Malfoy, will be more than willing to welcome you into his group of friends should you be sorted into Slytherin house."

At this Persephone broke into a smile of sheer joy "I have a cousin?"

"Oh yes, and his family will be most pleased to see you at Hogwarts. In fact his mother, your aunt Narcissa, has volunteered to escort you to Diagon Alley to help you with your school shopping. You will need to purchase a number of items. I gather you have received your list?" She nodded and he continued. "Narcissa will fetch you here next Thursday at nine o'clock. Until now you have been isolated from the Wizarding world by order of the Ministry of Magic, but you will soon find your family is most eager to make your acquaintance."

A million questions bubbled up in Persephone's mind. Why had she been isolated? What was her family like? Would they adopt her? She began to ask a question but Snape cut her off once more.

"Miss Lestrange," he began before standing up and crossing to the door "our little meeting is at its end. I must be going."

"Please sir, might I ask one more question?" He nodded with a look of slight exasperation. "How do you know so much about my parents?"

"I was also a Death Eater" he stated plainly before leaving the room and slamming the door behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to all those who review, it is much appreciated! Special thanks to Amy! You're the best!**

Ch 3

Persephone waited in the foyer of St. Margaret's with Sister Assumpta. She glanced out the window at the large clock tower. "8:58" she thought allowed, "Almost time!"

"Well I think this is just lovely!" Sister Assumpta said, clapping her hands together. "I always told Mother Superior you were a smart child and now look at you! Accepted to a special boarding school with a full scholarship!" She looked at Persephone, beaming with pride. "And to think you were able to connect with lost relations through this school, my dear it's a sign from God!"

_Not quite_ Persephone thought. Just then the door bell chimed. Persephone was visibly nervous. Sister Assumpta patted her shoulder reassuringly before opening the door.

The woman on the other side was like nothing Persephone had ever seen. She was tall, and so very blonde one might have mistaken her hair for white. Her ice blue eyes were narrowed in contempt as she took the hand of Sister Assumpta and promptly released it, wiping her own hand on her cloak, for her outerwear could not be described as anything but a cloak. "Hello and Welcome to St. Margaret's! You must be Mrs. Malfoy, we have been eagerly awaiting your arrival, Persephone and I!" Sister Assumpta said, gesturing to the nervous girl standing a few paces away. For the first time, the women noticed Persephone and her expression melted.

"Oh, Bellatrix!" she said as she strode over to the small girl, bending slightly and taking the girls face in her hands. "I'm sorry but you look so like my sister. Your eyes!"

Persephone smiled at the women. Her aunt. _How wonderful,_ she thought, _to have an aunt, someone who might grow to love me_! "Hello Mrs. Ma- " she began.

"Oh, my dear girl, I know we've only just met, but please call me Aunt Cissy."

"Aunt Cissy" Persephone repeated, "All right!" she said, smiling brightly.

"Now let's leave this filthy muggle place, we've got lots to do!" Narcissa said, taking Persephone's hand and sauntering out of the building without a second glance at Sister Assumpta, who did not seem to notice the slight at all and merely waived at the two happily from the door.

Narcissa led the way into a sleek town car, but once inside, Persephone marveled at the sheer size of the vehicle. The inside of the car was humungous. "How… I…" At a loss for words, she simply said "It's so big!"

"It's an extension charm, my dear." Narcissa said simply. "The Leaky Cauldron!" she ordered to the driver before turning bay to Persephone. "My, there is so much you don't know! If only you hadn't grown up with that muggle scum!"

Persephone was not entirely sure what "muggle scum" was but her aunts statement made her wonder why she hadn't been taken in by her mother's family. Professor Snape had mentioned her isolation and she was very curious. "Excuse me, Aunt Cissy," she began, "but why exactly did I grow up at St. Margaret's. And why didn't I know I had family?"

Narcissa's face took on a sympathetic expression and she took both Persephone's hands in her own. "Oh Persephone, If I could have adopted you, believe me, I would have!" Her expression grew slightly darker. "The ministry however, felt it would be best if you were raised away from the wizarding world. They said it was to protect you from the people who hated your parents, but that's nonsense. The children of high profile Death Eaters are not rare. My husband , your uncle Lucius, is quite as notorious as your mother, but no one tried to take my son away from me and send him to a muggle orphanage." Her voice slowly rose as she continued, "but my sister had a special relationship with the Dark Lord. He trained her in the dark arts and though my husband would never admit it, she was second in command." Narcissa glances at Persephone to see if she was following. "Do you understand?" Persephone just looked at her, brow slightly furrowed.

"You see, the Dark Lord never thought he would fall and he never had a contingency plan. When he disappeared, his supporters had nowhere to turn, no one to protect them. But when they found out your mother was pregnant… I suppose it was madness, but everyone thought you would avenge the Dark Lord."

Persephone stared at her aunt, wide eyed and confused. "Why on earth would they believe that?" She said bluntly.

Narcissa began to smile, then covered her mouth and almost laughed "I'm sorry" she said, composing herself, "but you could have been my sister just then! She was so frank, sometimes too frank." She continued "You see, there was a prophecy, made by a well respected seer by the name of Mopsus. I don't know exactly what it said but I believe the gist was the Dark Lord would fall and be reborn. The Dark Lord believed he could avoid falling by following another prophecy. You see, according to that second prophesy, Harry Potter, a one year old boy, would grow up to defeat the Dark Lord. But when the Dark Lord tried to kill the Potter boy, his spell backfired and he disappeared."

Persephone still looked quite confused, "A prophesy is like a prediction, right?"

"Something like that" Narcissa answered. "A prophesy is a vision of the future, and no seer will claim one hundred percent accuracy, but there are a few who are fairly accurate and even fewer who are well respected. The first prophesy, the one about the Dark Lords rebirth, was made by a great seer. Rebirth is a strange concept though, and no one, not even the Dark Lord, quite knew how to interpret it. But when the Dark Lord disappeared, and his inner circle of death eaters learned of your mother's condition, they were sure rebirth meant you!"

Finally, comprehension donned on Persephone's face. "They thought I would be the next Dark Lord?" she said with amazement and a hint of fear in her voice.

"It was the madness of a desperate people, Persephone" Narcissa said stroking the girl's hair with one hand. "No one believes that anymore, but when you were born, the Ministry of Magic feared you would be groomed as a powerful dark witch if my husband and I raised you. They wanted you as far away from me and our kind as possible." She said with deep regret written all over her face. "I'd have taken you in and loved you like my own daughter if they had let me!" continued Narcissa, eyes filling with tears. She opened her mouth to speak again, but unable to string together the right set of words, fell silent.

Narcissa then pulled Persephone into a tight hug "But now you're eleven and there is nothing they can do to keep you from me."

At that moment the car stopped outside a rather dingy looking pub called "The Leaky Caulren" and Narcissa led Persephone inside. "Come my sweet girl" she said. "It's time you see the world to which you belong."


	4. Chapter 4

Holding her hand, Narcissa led Persephone through a crowd of grimy looking men and women, nodded curtly at bald and toothless barman, and crossed strait to the back of the bar. "I never use this entrance" Narcissa whispered "three up and two across I believe" she continued while taking a thin pointed stick out of her cloak and tapping a brick three times.

Suddenly the wall began to quiver and a small hole appeared where Narcissa had tapped. It grew into a grand and ample archway revealing what Persephone could only assume was Diagon Alley.

"Well?" said Narcissa, "What do you think?"

"It's amazing!" Persephone answered. Her drop jawed expression was curling into a wide grin of sheer wonderment.

"Let's get your robes" Narcissa suggested, taking Persephone's hand once more and leading her through the archway.

"Must I wear robes at Hogwarts?" Persephone questioned, glancing around at the robe clad people bustling around the alley.

"Oh yes!" said Narcissa in a scandalized tone. "We can't have you going around in muggle clothing anymore my dear. Your mother was a Black! That's a very old wizarding name, and we Blacks do not allow our children to go around is muggle rags."

Just then they reached a shop called "Madam Malkin's" and entered. Madam Malkin, a small, plump woman, looked up from a mess of pins and needles saying "Hello, Mrs. Malfoy, Hogwarts I presume?" She then stood Persephone on a small stool and threw a long black robe over her head.

They left the shop with more clothes than Persephone had ever owned. Plain black robes, Persephone learned were uniforms for Hogwarts, were only a fraction of what they purchased. Narcissa selected many other robes, crafted from beautiful fabrics, for her niece and did not allow the small girl to leave in the tattered sundress in which she had arrived. Instead, she exited the shop in a beautiful, silky, emerald robe.

"Thank you so much Aunt Cissy! I cannot believe this is all mine!" Persephone said, smiling up at her aunt. "I've never had anything this beautiful and expensive!" Her face fell slightly, "I'll never be able to repay you." She said, looking down

"Oh my dear niece" Narcissa began "seeing you so happy is repayment enough! Plus-" she continued, wrapping her arm around the little girl's shoulders, "you've got to learn to enjoy the finer things in life. You will want for nothing now that you're with me."

They walked past an ice cream parlor called "Florean Fortescue's" and Narcissa stopped briefly before continuing. Persephone saw a boy, maybe a few years older than her, sitting at a table outside eating a sundae. He had rather untidy black hair, and glasses. "I thought we might stop for ice cream" said Narcissa, "but I think we'd better wait until after we've got your wand."

And so they kept walking until they reached a narrow, shabby looking store. The sign on the door read "Ollivander: maker of fine wands since 382 B.C." A bell jingled when they opened the door and a tall, thin, old man appeared from behind a row of shelves. "Ah, Miss. Lestrange!" he said to Persephone. "I'd hoped to see you. It seems like only yesterday your mother was in here purchasing her wand. Walnut and dragon heartstring, 12 ¾ inches, unyielding. Nearly blew up the place first time she touched it." He chuckled. "And your lovely aunt, elm wood and unicorn hair, 12 ½ inches, surprisingly swishy. How nice to see you Mrs. Malfoy."

"Always a pleasure, Mr. Ollivander." She replied haughtily

"I trust your son is happy with his wand? Hawthorn and unicorn hair, 10 inches precisely, reasonably springy if I remember correctly."

Narcissa smiled coolly. "Yes, Draco is quite happy with his wand."

"Interesting he favored a shorter wand, well, I say he favored, but of course it's really the want that chooses the wizard."

Ollivander then handed a lovely reddish wand to Persephone. "Rosewood and phoenix feather, 13 and a half inches, relatively pliable." He said jovially. But to Persephone's dismay, when she waved it, it blasted a hole through the carpet. "I think not" Said Olivander with a chuckle and handed her another wand.

After what seemed like quite a long time of trying out different wands, Ollivander said, "I wonder" and pulled out a dusty old box. It had not been on a shelf, but instead, in Ollivanders work shop. "Miss Lestrange, I must warn you, this is not an Ollivander Wand. I only use unicorn hair, phoenix feathers, and dragon heartstrings for my wand cores. I purchased this wand from a friend in Germany years ago. I intended to study its properties and its core, thestral hair."

Persephone heard a sharp intake of breath from behind her. "Thestral hair, Mr. Ollivander" began Narcissa, "That's hardly suitable for a young-"

But before she could finish, Persephone had the wand in her hands. She felt a warm current flow up her left arm as her fingers tightened against the wood. She held it above her head and brought it down in a harsh chop. Bright green and silver sparks shot from the wand tip and showered the room.

"Curious" said Ollivander, smiling unnervingly at Persephone. "Sycamore and thestral hair, 10 ¼ inches, slightly illusive. This wand Miss Lestrange is very, very old. It is the brother of a very famous, very powerful wand…" he trailed off, "…but no matter. The wand chooses the wizard, and I will not deny a wand its chosen owner."

Narcissa looked uneasy as Persephone glanced up at her. "Very well, Mr. Olivander." She said before paying him and exiting the shop.

The two next went to a bookstore called "Flourish and Blotts" where books filled the room so thoroughly that they were piled like mountains. After getting Persephone's schoolbooks and supplies, they sat outside Flaurean Fortescues and shared the largest sundae Perspehone had ever seen.

"It's a shame your cousin Draco couldn't join us today" Narcissa said between scoops of ice cream. "He would have loved to see the Fire Bolt in the window at 'Quality Quidditch Supplies.' But it's probably for the best." She continued. "He might have convinced me to buy it!" she giggles.

"What's Quidditch?" Persephone questioned. She wanted to learn all she could about the wizarding world.

Narcissa only looked surprised for a moment before saying "My my, there is so much we must teach you before you go to Hogwarts. Quidditch is a wizarding sport. It's played on broomsticks up in the air and that Fire Bold in the window is the fastest broom in the world." Her expression darkened imperceptibly before saying, "Draco and I will have to fill you in about many things before you go to school. We wouldn't want people to think you a mudblood." She sneered slightly on that last word.

Persephone did not know what a "mudblood" was but she could tell it was not good. "Professor Snape says I'm a pure blood." She said with some conviction, having inferred that this was a good thing.

Narcissa's face lit up with pride. "Yes my dear, you most certainly are. Be proud of that Persephone, for these days it's a rarity."

Persephone did not want to leave, but she had to admit to herself that she was exhausted from her day of shopping. On the way back to St. Margaret's, Narcissa pulled Persephone into her arms and said, "I wish you could come home with me." Persephone leaned into her aunt's embrace, wishing the same thing.

"Me too." She said weakly

"But," started Narcissa, composing herself, "I promise you will be able to stay with us for the Christmas Holiday. The Minister has already given his approval. He and Lucius are on quite good terms lately since Lucius has made a few generous donations to the ministry."

They pulled up in front of St. Margaret's and Persephone got out of the car and waved goodbye to her aunt from the front stoop of the building. When the car pulled away, she sunk to the ground, bags in hand, and took out her wand, just to look at of course. _13 days_ she thought, _and then I'll be free_.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, it is much appreciated! And special thanks to my Beta Amy! You're a diamond! **

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Persephone sat on the top step of St. Margaret's, eyes glued to the street, waiting for her aunt's sleek black car to pull up. It was early, 7:30 in the morning, and her aunt was not due until 10, but she was too excited to stay inside. Other children were awake as well, laughing and playing in the courtyard, enjoying the last full day of summer. Term would begin at St. Margaret's the next day. Persephone listened for the soft purr of an engine, but she could hear nothing but chatter. _What if it was all a dream,_ She thought, _what if there was no Hogwarts, no Aunt Cissy, no loving family?_ But no, she had proof. She had a trunk full of robes and school books, letters from Hogwarts, and most impressively, a wand.

Persephone had read her schoolbooks cover to cover. She did not want to go to Hogwarts unprepared and ignorant like a "mudblood" as her aunt would say. She wanted to represent her family properly. Apparently, Being a Lestrange and a Black meant something in the wizarding world, and Persephone wanted to embody that meaning. She was determined to prove she belonged to this legacy of purebloods, because to a lonely little girl, nothing is more important than belonging.

After reading _Hogwarts a History_ by Garius Tomkink and _A History of Magic_ by Bathilda Bagshot, Persephone knew it was very important that she be sorted into Slytherin House. Salazar Slytherin, one of the four school founders, valued ambition, cunning, and blood purity above all else and her entire family belonged to his house. While Persephone still could not wrap her head around the true importance of blood purity, she was determined to value it. Her aunt felt it was important and her mother and father dedicated their lives to it.

Persephone sat there contemplating her future for hours, lost in thought when a blonde boy sat beside her on the step. He looked a few years older than her and had pointed features making him look rather impressive. He didn't say anything, just sat there, periodically glancing at his watch and scanning the now crowded courtyard, when the harsh voice of Becky rose up above the hum of chattering children. "Oy, Persephone" she barked "found yourself a weird little friend? 'e looks as odd as you."

The blond boy stood abruptly "Shut your mouth muggle!" he snarled.

"Oooh, 'es angry!" Becky replied "Not as angry as Sister Luke will be when she finds out you 'ave a boy friend! I'm gonna tell!" she said before bolting up the stairs, past Persephone and the blonde boy and to the door.

Persephone felt her blood pressure rise. "No you're not!" she said firmly, rising from her seat.

"Ouch!" Cried Becky, tearing her hand from the doorknob. It was red and blistered. "You- you burned my hand!" she spluttered between whales.

The blond boy suppressed a laugh before saying "So, _you're_ Persephone Lestrange. I didn't know how I would figure out which one was you." He had to shout to be heard over the dramatic whimpers of Becky. She raised such a riot that Sister Luke came to investigate.

"What is going on out here?" she said. She looked from the sniveling Becky to the guilty looking Persephone and said "Heavenly father, term cannot start soon enough."

"She burned my hand!" Becky cried, making the most of her injury.

Persephone still looked quite guilty, but retorted none the less, "How could I have done?"

The door to the building opened once more to reveal a worried looking Sister Assumpta who took in the scene in front of her and said, "Oh dear" raising her hand to her head.

"Excuse me" The blonde boy interrupted, "I am Draco Malfoy, and I'm here to collect my cousin, Persephone."

"Thank the Lord!" Sister Luke said under her breath.

Persephone was caught off guard by this new bit of information. "Oh, hello!" She said happily.

"Right, well, we'd better be going, Mother and father are waiting in the car."

Sister Assumpta looked ready to cry, "Persephone my child, have a wonderful time!" She said hugging the girl tearfully. "Write to me, won't you?"

"Of course" came Persephone's smothered reply from within the nun's tight embrace. When she finally pried herself free, her cousin already had her trunk half way down the stairs. She quickly followed him, waiving one last goodbye to Sister Assumpta.

When the two reached the car and safely stowed Persephone's trunk in the back, which had been magically extended so impressively that it resembled a walk in closet, Draco led the way into the back seat with his parents. He sat beside his father, leaving the seat across from him for Persephone.

"Persephone, Darling!" came Narcissa's warm greeting. "Come sit by me! This is your uncle Lucius," she said gesturing to the handsome, well groomed, blonde man across from her. "And you've just met your cousin Draco, I'm sure you'll be great friends."

Persephone looked at the family in amazement. They could not have looked more perfect, all good looking, well dressed, and from what she could tell, loving and kind. Her eyes came to rest on her cousin.

"You should have seen it Mum" Draco started, "this muggle was being a prat and Persephone practically burned her hand off" he laughed, "It was brilliant!"

"It was an accident!" came Persephone's nervous reply. She was not sure her prim and proper aunt would approve of such behavior. But to her surprise her aunt and uncle were smirking lighthearted.

"You shouldn't laugh Draco" Narcissa said, grinning a little too much herself to be taken seriously. "I'm sure it was an accident dear," she continued, wrapped an arm warmly around her niece, "but I'm sure the muggle deserved it as well."

Persephone felt a great weight lift from her chest. Her aunt was not upset with her. _How wonderful_, she thought, _to be a part of this family_. She did however, feel a bit shy around her uncle. He was not unkind or even unfriendly, but he had a queer way of looking at her nervously like he thought she might do something terrible.

When they arrived at Kings Cross, the driver loaded Persephone and Draco's trunks into trolleys. "Dad," Draco drawled, "tell Mum I don't need my parents to walk me through the platform! I'm thirteen and-"

"Draco!" Narcissa interrupted, hurt clear in her voice. "We will come with you to say goodbye on the platform. What with Sirius Black on the loose, I'm not taking any chances. Besides," she continued, clutching a small parcel a little too tenderly, "its Persephone's first time." Draco rolled his eyes.

They walked up to the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Lucius and Draco took both trolleys and leaned against the platform and quite suddenly disappeared. Persephone gasped "Wha- where did they…"

Narcissa took Persephone's hand, and said "Come my dear, let's just stroll through while no muggles are looking." Persephone felt like an idiot walking into a brick barrier. She closed her eyes, and just when she felt sure she would hit the cold wall, she opened her eyes to a crowded platform that held an impressive scarlet steam engine.

Her eyes widened in amazement and she smiled broadly. "How easy you are to please." Narcissa smiled down at her. "Well, I have a little something I think you'll find even more magnificent."

She handed Persephone the parcel she had been holding. Persephone held it for a moment and realized it had small holes poked in it. She felt something shift in the box and let out a little gasp of excitement before tearing it open. From the box emerged a tiny Persian kitten. Its soft white coat was unbelievably fluffy and its squashed little face took on a haughty expression, hilarious on such a tiny creature.

"Oh Aunt Cissy!" Persephone exclaimed, "It's adorable! Is it a girl or a boy?" She questioned.

"A boy." Narcissa answered. "His name is Riddles. I'm so glad you like him. I wanted you to have something to remind you of your family while you're at school." She grew slightly tearful on the last few words. "We only just got you and we are already saying good bye!" she said wrapping both of her arms around the girl's narrow shoulders. But you will have Riddles, and Draco." She continued. "Don't be afraid to ask him if you need anything!"

Persephone glanced over at her cousin who was talking to two boys a few feet away. She was not sure he would welcome her tagging along. She began to fear that Hogwarts would be just as lonely as St. Margaret's. Holding her kitten in one hand, she wrapped her other arm around her aunts waist. "I'll miss you." was all she could say. She did not want to cry.

Draco, showing a brief moment of chivalry, stowed both his and Persephone's trunks in a compartment on the train before bidding his parents fair well. Persephone waived to her aunt and uncle from the window and suddenly realized how cold they looked from a distance. If she did not know better, she would fear her pale, aloof aunt, and tall, imposing uncle. Before the train left the station she started making her way to the compartment where her trunk had been stowed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for all the reviews everyone! Keep reviewing :)**

* * *

When she located the correct compartment, Draco was deep in conversation with the two boys Persephone had noticed earlier as well as a dark haired girl with a squashed looking face. Persephone decided against joining them and crossed into an empty compartment a few doors down.

No sooner had she sat down with Riddles and resided to make the journey in lonely solitude than the door to the compartment opened to reveal two girls with long, straight, chestnut colored hair. The taller girl said, "I'll just be a little ways down the hall with Pansy and the others! Look, this girl looks like a first year too," she said gesturing to Persephone. "You'll be fine, Astoria. Just stay here!"

"Why can't I sit with you, Daphne?" the girl called Astoria said softly out of the corner of her mouth, clearly trying not to show how nervous she was.

"I won't have you following me around all year!" Daphne said sternly. "Make your own friends, all right?" she continued before shoving her sister in and shutting the door.

Astoria sat down sulkily across from Persephone, eyes narrowed in anger. After a few moments, Riddles gave a soft meow, causing Astoria to glance up.

"Ooh, he's adorable!" She said, looking at Persephone for the first time.

"Thanks" she responded, "I just got him today, his name is Riddles." Feeling a little braver she added, "I'm Persephone Lestrange."

"Astoria Greengrass" the girl said, extending her hand to Persephone.

Just as Persephone took Astoria's hand, the compartment door flung open, and a small boy fell onto the floor. He looked around apprehensively and his eyes fixed on Riddles. "Blimey!" he finally said. "There's a cat in here too? I nearly got killed by one on a luggage rack on the other side of the train."

The girls looked at him in surprise before Astoria burst into laughter. "Don't tell me you're afraid of that tiny kitten?" she said, still giggling.

To Persephone's relief, the boy was not offended. He smiled and said "No, I suppose I'm safe with him." Hoisting himself off the ground, he continued, "but you should have seen that last one, huge and ginger colored. It was the ugliest thing I've ever seen." Standing up, Persephone could see he was slightly shorter than herself, and much smaller than the willowy Astoria. He had dirty blond hair and deep blue eyes. "I'm Gabriel Urquhart" he stated proudly.

Persephone made note of the pride in his voice. She would need to practice this as she knew her name was something about which to boast in the wizarding world. "I'm Persephone Lestrange," she said, trying it out, "And this is Astoria- er.."

"Greengrass." Astoria finished happily. "We've only just met." she added.

Gabriel sat beside Persephone, petting the top of Riddles' head tentatively, to Astoria's great amusement. "Are you both first years then?" he questioned. The girls both nodded. "Any idea what house you'll be in?"

"Slytherin." Persephone said determinedly. The others looked at her in mild surprise before she added. "At least I hope."

The train finally started moving. During the first leg of the journey, Astoria told them her sister was in Slytherin and she was hoping to be as well. Gabriel hadn't a clue what house he would be in. His mother was in Ravenclaw but he assured both girls he was a pureblood and so there was good chance he'd end up in Slytherin like is father.

Gabriel and Astoria were both quite talkative. The latter was prone to fits of giggles at the slightest provocation. Persephone did not mind though. Some extra laughter was welcome, having spent most of her life away from any form of it.

Gabriel, on the other hand, was curious. He wanted to know everything about Persephone. Her famous parents, her tragic beginnings, and her time in a muggle orphanage all interested him greatly.

"No one liked me very much at St. Margaret's." She said softly.

"You poor thing!" interjected Astoria.

"Did you ever use magic in front of them, you know, by accident?" Gabriel questioned, transfix by her story.

Persephone looked away, "Yes, but I'm afraid that only made them hate me more." She said, her voice growing slightly harsher. "They thought I was a freak, but I couldn't help it."

Gabriel looked at Astoria and then back at Persephone, knowingly, "Well, no of course not, none of us can at first." he said, "I can't wait to start classes." He added, a smile forming on his lips.

"Ooh, me too!" Astoria said jubilantly. "I want to learn how to hex my sister." she giggled mischievously. "You should see what she does to me! She-"

But before she could finish, the compartment doors opened to reveal Draco, flanked by the two boys Persephone had seen earlier. Astoria fell silent at the sight of the blonde boy and turned slightly red, sinking as far back into her seat as was humanly possible.

"Oh, there you are." Draco drawled indifferently to Persephone. "My mother told me to buy you whatever you want from the food trolley." Persephone glanced behind Draco and noticed the trolley just outside her compartment. When she did not respond, Draco added, "Well? What will it be?"

"Er," she began unsteadily. She did not know what any of the treats on the trolley were and hated feeling so ignorant. "I don't know, I've never had-"

But just as she began to falter, Gabriel came to her rescue. "Oh, Persephone, you have to try the Pumpkin Pasties. And you might as well get some caldron cakes and a few chocolate frogs if this lad" gesturing to Draco, "is treating." He then added. "Hello, I'm Gabriel Urquhart."

"Oh, um, Gabriel, Astoria, this is my cousin, Draco Malfoy." Persephone piped up.

Draco shook Gabriel's hand, a look of mild amusement playing across his face. "Urquhart." Draco repeated. "You're father's not Marco Urquhart from the department of magical law enforcement at the ministry, is he?"

"Yes," Gabriel answered, "That's him."

"Oh, well he's a good friend of my father's" Draco started, "In fact, we had lunch with him a few weeks ago at the Leaky Cauldron, he told me his sons an excellent quidditch player. He can't have been talking about you. You're too small to play quiddich."

Persephone was afraid Gabriel would be angry, but to her surprise, he only laughed embarrassedly. "Well I might be small," he began, "but my size never bothers me much once I'm in the air."

"Hmm," Draco said, appraising the boy, "well the seekers are generally small, but that position is taken on all the house teams. I'm the Slytherin seeker."

"Oh, well that's all right" Gabriel replied cheerfully, "I'm a chaser."

Draco grinned curiously before saying, "One moment" and turning back to the trolley, requesting the items Gabriel had suggested, "Crab, Goyle, you can head back to our compartment," he said to the larger boys beside him. "I'll be back soon."

Finishing his transaction with the plump trolley witch, he turned back to Gabriel and said "It would be great to have some new talent on the Slytherin team, presuming you're sorted into Slytherin."

Gabriel nodded, "Well I'm pureblood" he said, "and my dad was in Slytherin."

"Good" Draco continued, "but I must warn you, the captain, Marcus Flint, is not to keen on small players."

Gabriel looked slightly perturbed but kept listening

"I'm not exactly huge and I had to get my dad to buy Nimbus 2001s for the whole team just to be considered for seeker." He then added defensively, "and I'm the best player on the team."

"That's ridiculous!" Gabriel said, outraged.

"Yes, well Flint is not exactly a strategic genius." Draco said, sitting beside Astoria who looked about ready to faint. "His idea of a good tactic is having the entire team act like human bludgers. He was supposed to graduate last year, but he failed all his exams." Gabriel looked disgusted by this. "I think he might be part troll" Draco added in a whisper.

"Wow." Gabriel said, dejectedly, leaning back in his seat.

Draco stood up and handed Persephone the food he had purchased. "I'll put in a good word for you though." he said. "We could really use a good chaser on the team."

"Thanks a lot!" Gabriel said happily. "I really appreciate it."

"Glad to see you're making the right kinds of friends, Persephone." Draco said, giving Persephone a sincere smile for the first time, before leaving the compartment.

As soon as the compartment door closed, Astoria let out an audible sigh of relief. "Merlin's beard!" She said staring at Persephone in amazement. "Draco Malfoy is your cousin?"

Persephone smiled suspiciously at her new friend. "Yes..." she began, "does that bother you?"

"Bother me!?" Astoria said, "No, not a bit, it's just…"

"Oh don't tell me you fancy him?" Gabriel laughed. "I mean he seems like an all right bloke, but you didn't speak a word to him."

"He's a friend of my sisters." Astoria said, blushing a brilliant shade of red, "and I've just always, well, found him rather…"

"You like him!" Persephone laughed outright.

"Oh, stop it!" Astoria whined, her sheepish smile betrayed her true feelings. "But maybe you can talk to him for me! I mean, he's your family!"

Persephone thought for a moment. "I've only just met him today," She started, "but I suppose if the opportunity presents itself…"

The three past the next few hours happily discussing quidditch and Astoria's prospects with Draco when the train quite suddenly stopped.

"We can't be at Hogsmeade Station yet." Gabriel said, crossing to the window. "We haven't passed the mountains."

The lights then flickered on and off. Persephone did not know what to expect. Maybe this kind of thing was normal on the Hogwarts express. The doors to their compartment then flung open and Draco entered.

"Look, just stay calm." He said in a worried voice.

"What's going on?" Persephone questioned.

Draco sat beside her and the lights went out completely.

"Lumos" he whispered, and the tip of his wand lit up. "They're coming this way," he said in a hoarse murmur, "Just keep quiet and maybe they won't come in here."

Persephone felt a palpable chill creep up her arms and legs as her cousin spoke. "What are you talking about?" she said in an almost inaudible whisper, "Who won't come?" the chill grew stronger and in some odd way it felt familiar to Persephone.

The chill had clearly infected the others in the compartment and a soft whimper could be heard from Astoria's direction.

From the light Draco's wand emitted, Persephone saw the compartment door slowly slide open and a hooded figure glide toward her. Horror stricken, she stared at the massive figure, and as if in a trance, she stood up and took a step toward it. Riddles tumbled from Persephone's lap, and meowing fretfully, crawled under the compartment bench.

"Persephone!" her cousin hissed, grabbing her arm to pull her back. But she shook him off. Unable to hold herself up any longer, she dropped to her knees and let herself succumb to the fog obscuring her vision.

"_Please don't take her!" a woman shouted, sobbing uncontrollably. "Please just let me hold her a moment longer! My baby!" _

_The tiny infant was wrenched from the woman's arms, "Should have thought of your child before torturing the Longbottoms, Lestrange." A harsh voice barked_

_The women got down on her knees pleading, "My lord, please! Come back for me! I have always been faithful!" she heaved a heart wrenching sob before falling on her hands. "My baby, my Persephone!" she streaked. "Master! Master! I beg of you, do not let this happen!" She grabbed the man's robes, clawing at him, trying to take the infant back._

"_Your Master is dead!" The man laughed, kicking her hard to get her off his robes. The woman fell in a heap on the ground and seemed unable to move. She wept as the man holding her child laughed callously. _

"Persephone, are you all right?" she heard as if from a distance. Someone was shaking her shoulders and finally her eyes were able to focus. "Persephone!" Draco said in a panicky voice.

She was still kneeling on the floor and Draco was crouching beside her. She looked around at Astoria and Gabriel who were both gazing at her, worriedly. She felt her eyes fill with tears but was determined not to cry in front of her new acquaintances. She slowly rose to her feet and shakily made her way back to her seat.

"What was that?" she said in the steadiest voice she could muster.

"Here, eat a chocolate frog." Gabriel said, hastily unwrapping said frog and handing it to her. "My dad sometimes works with dementors and he always says chocolate helps afterwards."

"Dementors?" She questioned.

Draco sighed in both frustration and relief. "Yes, that was a dementor." He stood up and paced across the small compartment. "They guard the wizard prison, Azkaban, where your- anyways, they guard the prison and they, well, they make you feel terrible."

Astoria was curled up on her seat, peering over her knees. "I felt like all the happiness drained out of me and I'd never get it back."

"But what in Merlin's name made you walk toward it?" Draco said, exasperated.

She looked at him, shaking her head. "I don't know," She answered. Persephone was not sure she wanted them all to know exactly why she had been drawn to the horrible creature. Her lip began to quiver and she shut her eyes. Someone sat beside her and she felt a warm arm link through hers and a head lean against her shoulder, reassuringly.

"It's over now." Astoria said comfortingly, entwining her hand with Persephone's. "Think about Hogwarts and how wonderful it will be once we are there."


	7. Chapter 7

Before the train reached Hogsmeade station, Persephone and her friends removed their jackets and donned their school robes. Poor Gabriel was swimming in his over large uniform. A voice boomed through the train "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately."

"Should I leave Riddles?" Persephone questioned while she safely stowed the kitten into his box.

Astoria peered out of the compartment. "I think so" she said confidently. "My sister says first years travel up to Hogwarts by boat and cats don't like getting wet." Looking at the concern on Persephone's face, she added, "Don't worry, they'll make sure he gets up to the castle safely."

The three piled out of the scarlet steam engine and on to the crowded, foggy platform. The ambiance was decidedly gloomy, due to the fog, and perhaps something else lurking behind it. "Firs years, over here!" An enormous bearded man shouted. Gabriel led the way, squinting to see through the freezing mist and pushing through the throng of students toward the gigantic man. "Mind yer step" the mammoth like man continued, as the smaller children clustered around him.

The fog obscured Persephone's vision and dampened her robes. She was quite glad she had decided not to subject her kitten to these conditions. The first years followed the large man down a steep path that led to a great black lake where dozens of boats thrashed, barely visible through the dense mist.

"No more'n four to a boat" the man (whom Persephone learned was called Hagrid) yelled over the constant pattering of waves on the wooden boats. Again, Gabriel took the lead, finding a boat for himself and his two companions. Shivering, they crammed themselves into the ghostly boat and waited for a fourth to join them.

"Maybe we'll get this boat all to ourselves!" Astoria said hopefully. But no sooner her had she spoken, than a bold looking girl with a strong, almost masculine chin, bounded into the tiny boat, sending it rocking violently.

"Hello!" she beamed, apparently immune to the dreary atmosphere. "I'm Romilda Vane, who are you all?" Her dark curls bounced gaily as she sat beside Persephone. Sitting side by side, one could not help but compare their appearances. Where Persephone's locks flew about wildly, Romilda's, though similar in color and texture, fell in ringlets. Both girls had large, dark eyes, but Romilda's lacked the ferocity so apparent in Persephone's. They were roughly the same size and their coloring was comparable. While Persephone's delicate facial features seemed misplaced surrounded by her mane of untamed curls, Romilda's face was far too brutish to be adorned with such dainty coils.

"Hi," Gabriel began, taken aback by her directness. "I'm Gabriel Urquhart, this is Astoria and-"

But Romilda did not let him finish. "Oh, you must be the Lestrange girl!" she said pointedly to Persephone. "You've got the same mad eyes as the ones staring out of your mums mug shot. My mum told me you'd be in my year and I was to stay away from you. Your mum killed my uncle Balfry."

Persephone was astounded by the girls sheer bluntness. Why did she have to bring up Persephone's parents? Why couldn't that stay in the past? She didn't know how to respond to such a statement, and quite frankly, she was insulted. "Well, you better listen to mummy then and go find another boat." she responded cooly.

"That's all right" the girl said, completely unfazed by what Persephone thought was a witty comeback. "What mum doesn't know won't hurt her, right?" The others stared at Romilda, confused and slightly annoyed and the boat began to move. "I figure you're parents can't have made that much of an impression on you, seeing as they've been in Azkaban your whole life. With them out of the picture, you still have a chance as long as you stay away from those Malfoys. Horrible people, those Malfoys, don't you think?"

Persephone opened her mouth to respond, but before she could get a word in, Romilda was speaking again. "I mean everyone knows Lucius is an evil git, but that Narcissa! If you ask me, she's worse. What a snob!" Persephone's jaw tightened. How dare this girl insult the women who so warmly welcomed Persephone into her family? "My mum was in her year at Hogwarts, they were in different houses, but they knew each other all the same, but when mum and I ran into her at Twilfitt and Tattings, you would have thought she'd never laid eyes on my mum. 'Miss high and mighty Malfoy' completely ignored us. Rude, that is! And her son Draco's just as bad." She continued, "I don't know him personally, but I saw him at the station. Recognized him right away, nose up in the air like he's better than the rest of us. If I were you," she went on, now speaking directly to Persephone, "I'd stay away from that lot. Family or not, they're nothing but trouble."

"I'll thank you to keep your opinions to yourself" Persephone snapped once Romilda ceased her jabber. "I am a perfectly capable judge of character and I will decide for myself who is and is not trouble." She said with finality, turning her back on Romilda.

The remainder of the boat ride was spent in awkward silence. Persephone feared her new friends would reconsider being friends with the daughter of Azkaban's most high profile prisoners. Astoria and Gabriel's acceptance had been too easy, and now that they knew how most people reacted, they would surely abandon her. However, she need not have worried. The boats were docked on the school grounds where two towering dementors stood guard. Persephone felt her blood run cold at the sight of them and could not help but hear faint screaming in the back of her mind. Astoria immediately took her hand upon exiting the boat and Gabriel said "Let's get away from _that one_" nodding toward Romilda, "as soon as possible. I hope she's not in the same house as us."

"How rude can one person be?!" Astoria replied as they strode up the grand staircase and into the incredible entrance hall of Hogwarts Castle. "Lots of us have family members in Azkaban, we don't need her reminding us."

A tall severe looking older woman with black hair tied into a bun was waiting just inside. "Here they are Professor McGonagall." Hagrid's booming voice called from behind the group of small children. "All the firs' years."

"Thank you Hagrid." she replied in terse yet friendly voice. Persephone knew immediately that this woman was not to be trifled with.

Professor McGonagall led the group into a small empty chamber. They all crammed themselves into the small room and waited for direction. "Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said, "Before the banquet begins, you must be sorted into one of Hogwarts' four houses. While you are here, your house is your family. You will share a dormitory with your housemates and spend your spare time in your house common room."

Professor McGonagall then went on to describe the house point system "When your behavior and achievements are admirable, you will earn your house points, and when you break the rules or act irresponsibly, points will be docked from your house. When term ends, the house with the most points is rewarded with the house cup." She then left the nervous group and promised to return when they were ready for sorting to begin.

"How exactly are we sorted?" Persephone whispered to Astoria.

"They put a grubby old hat on our heads and it looks into our brains!" Astoria answered. "or at least that's what my sister told me."

Persephone could not remember ever being so nervous, not even when she accidentally turned Sister Luke's shoes into cinder blocks! What if the hat said there was nothing worthwile in her brains and chucked her out? Everyone seemed unnerved by the situation. Romilda was loudly whispering to a group of girls that she knew she'd be in Gryffindor, but she did not sound as confidant as she wanted to. Gabriel was listing under his breath, all the spells he knew, and Astoria was clenching Persephone's hand so tight it hurt.

Just when Persephone thought she would scream from nerves and anticipation, Professor McGonagall returned. "Form a line, first years!" she said briskly. Doing so, they followed the professor out the doors, through the entrance hall once more, and into the incredible Great Hall of Hogwarts.

Persephone had never seen anything quite so magnificent. Thousands of candles gleamed around the room, floating in mid air. Four tables were laid with golden tableware and crystal goblets.

More impressive still was the ceiling. Persephone remembered reading in _Hogwarts a History_ that the ceiling of the Great Hall was bewitched to look like the night sky, but she never expected it to be so realistic. She could hardly believe there was a ceiling at all. It was dark blue, and very foggy, with misty stars showing bright through the fog.

A fifth table was at the top of the hall, where the teachers sat. Professor McGonagall led the students in front of this table, so that they were facing the student body. She places a three legged stool in the center and produced the oldest and most horrible looking witch's hat Persephone had ever seen. Mother Superior would never have let any of her charges near such a filthy article, let alone wear it. Professor McGonagall placed it on the stool, and without warning, its brim separated from the pointed portion so it resembled a mouth, and it began to sing.

_"I may not be the fashion statement _

_ You had hoped to make_

_ On your first day at school _

_ but try me on for goodness sake!_

_ Not shiny like a top hat,_

_nor am I a French chapeaux._

_But if you find a smarter hat,_

_I'll gladly don a bow._

_I'll delve into your brain and find_

_just where you ought to be._

_I'll search through all your thoughts and dreams_

_and tell you what I see._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_where bravery and nerve_

_are valued more than brains and wit,_

_and chivalry will serve._

_Perhaps you'll be a Hufflepuff,_

_a just and loyal friend._

_Those Hufflepuffs are true and kind_

_and faithful to the end._

_You could belong to Ravenclaw,_

_if brains are what you've got._

_in this house, wit and cleverness_

_are very highly sought._

_Or maybe you're a Slytherin!_

_Ambitious, cunning, sly._

_You'll stop at nothing for your aim;_

_you're limit is the sky. _

_So put me on, don't hesitate!_

_I'll stop this chitterchat._

_I'll find out where you ought to be,_

_for I'm the sorting hat!_

The students and faculty alike erupted into thunderous applause as the hat sang its last note. Persephone however, could only half-heartedly clap along. What if the hat felt she belonged somewhere other than Slytherin? Her family would surely be angry. She squeezed her eyes shut tight and took a deep breath before opening them again.

"When I say your name" Professor McGonagall said, stepping forward, "you will sit here on this stool and put on the hat to be sorted." She then glanced at a long scroll of parchment and said "Adleson, Derek!"

A rosy cheeked boy with dark hair and a nervous disposition stepped up and put on the hat which promptly shouted "HUFFLEPUFF!"

The Hufflepuffs cheered from the table to the far right.

"Bailey, Kelly!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat once more and Kelly scurried off to the Hufflepuff table.

"Bolder, Bart!"

This time, the hat did not immediately call out a house; it seemed to deliberate for some time before announcing "RAVENCLAW!"

Next came "Carlson, Meaghan" and "Channing, Paul" who went to Gryffindor and Ravenclaw respectively.

"Crabbe, Tabitha" became the first Slytherin. Astoria rolled her eyes scornfully at the girl. The hat had taken quite a while to place the fat faced girl. She anxiously tugged her mousey brown ponytail, which hung just above what would normally be a neck, but since she seemed not to have one at all, her back. When the hat finally made up its mind, she seemed very pleased with its decision and waddled off to sit with a boy who had to be her brother. He had the same chubby face and lack of a neck. To Persephone's surprise, she recognized the boy. It was one of Draco's friends.

When Professor McGonagall called "Greengrass, Astoria!" Persephone heard a nervous squeal from beside her and gave a reassuring smile to her new friend.

"SLYTHERIN" the hat called after a few seconds.

_Good_, Persephone thought.

After what seemed to be a century, Professor McGonagall shouted, "Lestrange, Persephone!"

A quiet murmur escaped from a number of the Slytherins and a few others. Persephone had expected as much. She was glad her infamous surname only seemed to be recognized by a small portion of the students. Before the hat fell over her eyes, one boy sitting at the Gryffindor table caught her attention. He stared at her with something like contempt in his eyes. His buckteeth were bared in an almost pained grimace, and his round face was tensed. She could tell he meant to frighten her, to stare her down, but she could not help but realize how sad he seemed. Before she could finish assessing the boy, the hat fell down her face, breaking their eye contact.

"Well, well." whispered a quiet voice. "You'll be very difficult to place, I see that. Cunning and resourceful, that's obvious enough, and quite a bright mind you've got. Loyal to a fault, you'd do anything for the people you care about. And you're brave too. My, my, very brave. I expect you're not afraid of anything, but where to place you…"

Persephone clenched her fists into tight balls and thought furiously, _Slytherin! Slytherin!_

"Slytherin hmm?" said the quiet voice, "Why not Gryffindor? You could be a heroine with nerve like yours! And moral fiber! You know right from wrong but… hmm, I think you are the kind that might push that aside to prove yourself… yes I think you're right – SLYTHERIN"

The last word was said aloud, and the Slytherin table cheered as Persephone made her way to sit beside Astoria. When she passed Draco, he grinned happily and said "Nice job, Cousin!" Persephone's heart swelled with pleasure. Yes, she was in Slytherin!

The rest of the evening passed in a blur. Gabriel was also sorted into Slytherin and to his, Astoria's and Persephone's delight, Romilda Vane became a Gryffindor.

The feast began after the sorting was completed and the food was delicious. Though Persephone had always had enough to eat, never had she been exposed to such rich and scrumptious foods! Her daily diet of oats, flavorless stew, and white bread, simply did not prepare her for the wonders of Hogwarts cuisine! Stake, baked potatoes, roast chicken, Yorkshire pudding, carrots, gravy, and oddly enough, strawberry sausages, covered the table.

When everyone had thoroughly stuffed themselves, desert appeared, and it was just as overwhelming, treacle tart, cakes of all kinds, pies, éclairs, and even Jell-o! Persephone managed to cram a few mouthfuls of this into her already full stomach before resolving to leave the feast with the other Slythirins and go to bed.

Before getting up and following the Slytherin prefect down to her common room however, she noticed a perfect pomegranate, sliced in half, directly in front of her. She could not resist taking a seed and popping it in her mouth.


	8. Chapter 8

**To everyone who has posted a review, thank you so much! I truly appreciate all your input and support! **

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The Slytherin common room was dark, even in the daytime. Astoria and Persephone, who had Riddles tucked under her arm, walked up the spiral staircase from the girl's dormitory and into the reflective green light of the common room, which was located under the Black Lake, so all sunlight that penetrated the dungeon sanctuary of Slytherin house was filtered through fathoms of water. Persephone quite liked the luminescent shadows passing over the stone walls, rippling lithely in ribbons of green and blue. She placed Riddles on one of the tall armchairs of green velvet that were placed strategically around the room. The centerpiece was clearly the grand, wide fireplace. The low ceilings did not allow for a majestic mantel, but the intricate snake like pattern of the stones around it made it the most beautiful and striking fireplace Persephone had ever seen.

"Astoria!" she began, "can you believe we get to live here? It's beautiful!"

"It's not as bad as I expected" said Astoria, "I was not to keen on spending all my free hours under a dismal old lake, but this is quite pretty actually."

As soon as Gabriel came up from the boy's dormitory, the three left for class. "Don't want to be late." Gabriel said, weary of the possible obstacles standing in their way. Both Draco and Astoria's sister, Daphne, warned the three first years about Peeves, the mischievous poltergeist, and Argus Filch, the crotchety care taker.

Persephone was sure she would be the worst in all her classes. She grew up away from magic and felt this would put her far behind her peers, but to her surprise, everyone was starting from scratch. Sure, a few students new some simple spells. Gabriel, for instance, knew a terrific little spell that made the tip of his wand light up. It came in handy when Astoria lost her quill under an old bookcase in the Charms classroom.

"Lumos" he said, kneeling on the floor next to Astoria and pointing his wand under the bookcase where just moments before she had been groping blindly for her writing utensil.

"Thanks!" she said once she laid hands on the lost quill.

While this impressed Persephone greatly, she found that in most cases, she was not just on par with the other students, but she outshone them! In transfiguration class, each student was given a match and was instructed to turn it into a needle. Having read her transfiguration text back to front, Persephone knew that this was a very complex bit of magic. She was determined however, to impress Professor McGonagall. Ignoring her confused classmates, she went to work on her match, and after a number of tries, she succeeded in turning the match silver, and boring a hole in it.

"Ugh!" she groaned loudly, disappointed that she had only completed half the job.

Professor McGonagall strode over to Persephone and to the girls delight, said "Miss Lestrange! This is quite impressive for a first attempt!" addressing the room at large, she went on. "I want the rest of the class to see this! Young Persephone has turned her match silver! And if I'm not mistaken," she said, squinting through her square spectacles, "there's a small hole there too!"

By the end of the class, Persephone was able to transform her match into a needle completely.

Persephone's potion work was also quite remarkable, but if Professor Snape was impressed, he did not let on. After taking roll, he asked the class a few questions, hoping to find out what the class new about potions. To his surprise, many hands were raised, including Persephone's, to tell the professor that Monkshood and Wolfsbane were one in the same. He called on a tall boy by the name of Derrick to answer. The next three questions he asked were met by a similar response from the class. Finally, he asked "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" A defiant look crossed his face. He knew this was a tough question.

Persephone looked around the room to see if anyone else was raising their hands. They were not. She tentatively raised her arm, half hoping he wouldn't call on her. When he did, she said, "I- I believe those are the ingredients for the Draught of Living Death, a- a really strong sleeping potion."

Snape's eyes narrowed and fixed on her face, in an almost stare, and a smirk played on his lips.

"I think that's right" Persephone continued, confused by his reaction, "you also need the juice from a… a sopophorous bean and.. er" he was now staring at her outright. She continued, speaking very quickly, "crushed snake fangs, chopped valerian roots, moondew, and a sloths brain."

Persephone looked around the room nervously. Had no one else researched the art of potion making? Everyone was looking at her, some with envy written all over their faces, others smiled, impressed with her information, but others, mostly the Gryffindors who had potions with the Slytherins, found her wealth of knowledge laughable. "Suck up." she heard a girl's voice, Romilda's she was sure, say from across the room.

"Memorizing a recipe from a book will only get you so far Miss Lestrange." Snape said in an expressionless voice. "Anyone can learn by rote a complex formula, execution however, is an entirely different story."

Suddenly, Persephone's nervousness evaporated. Had he asked her to execute the potion perfectly? No! He had asked her that asphodel and wormwood made and she had answered it correctly. "I know that." She said indignantly. "I read all about the importance of precision and instinct in potion making. I know it's more than just following a recipe." Jaw set, she could not bring herself to regret her snippy tone. She would not be chided for doing exactly what her teacher asked.

"And this potion" Snape said in an equally sharp tenor, "is much too difficult for a first year."

"I think I could handle it." She said, still unable to reign in her temper.

"Do you? We will see about that. This is NEWT level Lestrange, I highly doubt any first year, even The D- even you could handle it, but I'm willing to give you a chance."

What was NEWT level? What did he mean when he said 'The D-'and why couldn't she have kept her mouth shut! Snape went on to direct the rest of the class to mix a simple potion that removes boils. Once he had given them the correct page number, he led Persephone to a table of her own and gave her all the ingredients she needed for The Draught of Living Death and left her to her work.

She looked down at her empty cauldron and bit the inside of her cheek so hard she drew blood. She could have kicked herself for getting into this mess. She had never attempted even a simple potion, how was she going to pull this off? She had no directions and would have to go on what she remembered from her book. Why hadn't she thought to bring her copy of Advanced Potion Making to class? She had not dreamed she would need it of course, but it was not like her to be unprepared. Finally, she got to work.

After chopping roots for what seemed like ages, she threw them in the cauldron with her thoroughly pulverized sloth brain, and it quickly turned a black current color and blue smoke rose up from it. _Good _she though, she vaguely remembered the book saying something bout blue smoke.

She decided the sopophorous bean's juice was probably the next ingredient, however, chopping it proved quite difficult. She needed both of her little hands to handle the large knife Snape had given her, and therefore, could not hold the bean in place. On top of that, the knife was incredibly dull. Angrily, she slammed the flat part of the knife down on the infernal bean and crushed it. To her surprise, crushing the bean produced more juice than Persephone believed possible. She poured it into her caldron and the potion turned a rather lovely lilac color. _Yes_, she thought, _the book had definitely mentioned a lilac color about half way through, hadn't it_?

After all the ingredients had been added, Persephone began to stir. How was she supposed to remember how many stirs, and which way to stir? She knew the potion should be clear once she was done. Since she hadn't the slightest idea where to start, she simply began stirring counterclockwise to see what would happen. After quite a few stirs, the potion was almost clear. She kept mixing but the diaphanous liquid was still slightly filmy. Scrutinizing it thoroughly, she added one counterclockwise stir and the potion became completely transparent.

Triumphantly, she looked up from her concoction and met Snape's gaze. Her already wild hair was positively huge from the humidity her potion emitted and her robes were stained with sopophorous juice, but her eyes, fixed exultantly on the potions master, gave her the appearance of a queen.

"Let us see how our little expert's potion looks." He said snidely, striding over to the unkempt looking girl. Astoria caught Persephone's eye's and smiled weakly at her, crossing her fingers hopefully. Snape looked down at Persephone's potion, ready to dismiss it as a feeble attempt, but he could find no fault. "Class dismissed." he hissed and everyone packed their bags hurriedly and bolted from the room. Just before Persephone was able to exit, she heard, "Not you Lestrange."

Persephone exchanged a pleading look with Astoria and Gabriel, before they shrugged hopelessly and left her. She walked up to the front of the class and said, "Yes?"

"Persephone," he began in a gentler tone than she had expected, "you have inherited some of your parent's most prominent character traits. Your mother's temper and determination and your father's genius." Genius? Had she heard him correctly? "This combination will make you a force to be reckoned with, but I must warn you not to let others see how powerful you are." Powerful? She did not feel powerful at all, she felt a nervous wreck! "Life could be very difficult if people see how like your father you are."

"Sir?" she questioned timidly, changing her attitude as swiftly as he had done, "I thought my mother was the more dangerous one…"

He was no longer looking at her, simply staring toward her potion, "oh yes your mother had quite a temper, she was dangerous indeed, but your father controlled everything she did. She worshiped him." _What was he talking about? _Persephone thought. "I think she would be very pleased with how you turned out" he said looking a little disgusted, "All her pride and defiance paired with your fathers sheer brilliance, yes, she would worship you too I think." Persephone was fairly curtain her professor had gone mad. One minute he was angry, the next he was gentle, and now he seemed as if he would rather not be near her at all. "I'm not convinced these qualities will benefit you in the long run." he said, returning his gaze to her, "They have the potential to cause quite a bit of damage." Yes, he was definitely mad she thought. "You are dismissed."

She met up with Astoria and Gabriel in the Great Hall for lunch. "Persephone!" Gabriel uttered, relief clear in his voice, "Merlin, you got yourself into quite a situation!"

"I know!" she said, smiling at her relieved friends. "I can't believe what an idiot I was."

"Idiot?" Gabriel laughed, "You were brilliant! That potion would have knocked out even old Dumbledore!"

"I thought for sure he'd make you drink it" Astoria said, squeezing her friend around the shoulders.

Gabriel smiled, "I told her she needn't fear such a thing, but I will admit, I was a little concerned myself."

They all laughed and the rest of the day went quite smoothly. Persephone found that Herbology was not her best subject and astronomy was quite interesting. She had always been a good student, always soaked information up like a sponge, thirsty for knowledge, but her success in the wizarding world was a great relief. She clearly had a talent for magic.

After a long and frightening day, she retired to her dormitory with Astoria. She thought an early night was a good idea after such an eventful day, but she could not fall asleep. After she was sure all the Slytherin girls were sleeping soundly, she snuck out of the dormitory, and up to the common room with some parchment and a quill, counting on Tabitha Crabbe's snores to mask the sound of the door creaking open.

She clambered up the staircase and sat herself on a lovely armchair by the fire to collect her thoughts. Snape's comments about her parents made her uneasy. Never had she been told her father was a genius. She had always assumed her mother was the more brilliant of her parents. She was after all, the right hand of The Dark Lord. What had Snape meant when he said it would be bad if people realized she was like her father? So far, her mother had been the one for which people felt the need to admonish her. And why had Snape looked so aghast when saying her mother would have liked her?

_Would_ her mother have liked her, or _loved_ her even? Aunt Cissy seemed to think so. Persephone had never been exposed to a mother's love until meeting Aunt Cissy, who loved her son more than life itself. Growing up primarily among other orphans, all she knew about this special brand of love, she had learned from books. Could her mother, the mass murderer and lifelong inmate of Azkaban Prison, be capable of the unconditional love expected of mother? Possibly. On her first meeting with Professor Snape, back at St. Margaret's, she remembered him telling her that her mother loved The Dark Lord more than life itself. And just today he had told her that her mother worshiped her father. Is it possible that her mother would love her in such a powerful way?

Funny, she felt no emotional connection to Rodolphus Lestrange. She had seen his mug shot man times but his hairy face did not provoke an emotional response like her mother's always did. Looking at her mother's picture, and hearing about the woman she had been, always gave Persephone a warm feeling, like somewhere, far away, someone loved her.

Then she remembered what she had heard when the dementors entered her compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Yes, she was quite certain her mother loved her. Still, she wanted proof.

These thoughts and emotions were too much for the small girl to process. She felt the best way to handle her feelings was to write them down. She had so many questions she felt only her mother could answer. Maybe she would write her mother a letter. Sure, her mother would probably never see the letter, but maybe it would help Persephone process her emotions. Yes, a letter would be the perfect solution.

_Dear Mother,_

_I know you will probably never read this, but you are the only person who can help me. I have so many questions for you. I know you were a strong, determined, talented witch, and I know you were quite beautiful, but I also know you were a killer. I want to believe you were good, because you're my mother. I want to believe you did what you did for a good cause. At least I think that's how I feel. No, actually, that's not true at all. Maybe this makes me a bad person, but if I'm honest with myself, I don't care what you did or why you did it. When I am near dementors, I hear you screaming. I see you begging a cruel man not to take me away from you, and that is all the proof I need about the kind of person you were. It terrifies me to see this, but I don't hate it. I feel like it proves you cared for me. _

_My first day at Hogwarts was quite exciting. I wish I could tell you all about it! _

She went on to give a detailed description of her first day of school and her encounter with Snape. She asked questions about her father, knowing she would probably never get an answer, but she wrote it down all the same. It was a kind of catharsis for her.

_I hope one day, maybe in the far distant future, I can meet you, but for now, I must go to bed. _

_ Your loving daughter,_

_ Persephone Cosette Lestrange_

After completing her letter, she folded it into a tiny square, made her way back to her dormitory, and hid it at the bottom of her trunk in the small box her wand had come in. She fell asleep, finally able to push all her questions to the back of her mind.


	9. Chapter 9

**So sorry this took so long! School and a new job just started! Again, reviews are much appreciated! Thank you all for your continued support, especially Amy!**

The days flew by and before Persephone knew it, the Christmas holidays were before her. Two weeks with her family!

"Promise to write to me over the holiday?" Astoria asked sulkily as they stood on the platform. She had spent the entire train ride home trying unsuccessfully to secure an invite to Malfoy Manor. Her crush on Draco had only grown stronger over the past few months.

Persephone was not keen on the idea to of sharing her family, even with her best friend. "Oh stop frowning Astoria, you have your own family to go home to, and I know you miss them!" she responded, "besides, you don't want to come to spend time with me, you just want a chance to get my cousin on your own!" she giggled, "which I'll never understand considering you can't even open your mouth in front of him!"

"Stop it!" Astoria said, turning red and looking over her shoulder at the blonde boy stepping off the scarlet steam engine and disappearing into the crowd. "er, do you think he heard?"

Persephone just laughed and hugged her friend. "Merry Christmas, Astoria, and tell Gabriel bye for me, I've got to catch up with Draco and find my aunt and uncle!" she trilled as she skipped after her cousin.

Gabriel stepped onto the platform a moment later, but only caught a glimpse of Persephone's green and silver scarf as she was swallowed by the mass of people. His cheerful grin fell. Persephone, of course, did not notice this as she was too busy drinking in the scene in front of her. Her tall, stately aunt pulled Draco into her arms, her long blonde hair falling over his smaller frame.

"Mum, stop it!" he wined, pulling away from her. "For Merlin's sake, it's only been a few months, you're embarrassing me!"

"Let the boy go, Narcissa," Lucius cut in, patting his son on the shoulder, "he's practically a man now, right son?"

Persephone felt a little awkward intruding on the reunion. She stood to the side, not knowing how to make her presence known.

"Oh I'm sorry, Draco, I just miss you so much while you're at school. You may be growing up but you're still my b-"

"Don't!" Draco interrupted. Narcissa looked hurt. "Sorry… it's just…" he looked around, searching for some distraction and met Persephone's gaze. "Persephone! Are you ready to go?"

"Persephone!" Narcissa exclaimed, gliding over to the nervous girl, "My goodness, is it possible that you look even more like my sister after a few months at school?" she took Persephone's face in her hands and kissed her on the forehead before taking her hand and leading her away.

When they arrived at Malfoy Manner Persephone's jaw dropped. "Is this a museum?" she questioned.

"No no, child" her uncle Lucius drawled, "but it could be I suppose, would you like a tour?"

She nodded nervously, still a bit uneasy around her uncle. After seeing all the beautiful rooms of the manor, which may as well have been called a castle, the family sat down for dinner in what could only be described as a ballroom. The food was delicious and the service, outstanding. A tiny creature called a House Elf, brought each course. Her name, Persephone learned, was Dilcey.

After dinner they retired to a cozy room on the second level that overlooked the grounds. Her uncle and cousin made themselves comfortable in leather armchairs by the fire while Persephone sat by her aunt on a wide couch with heavy furs strewn about the arms and back.

"Now tell us all about your first term at Hogwarts, dear!" Narcissa said cheerfully, pulling a fur over her lap.

"Oh it was amazing!" Persephone began by telling her aunt about her new friends. Draco interjected his approval, though mentioned Astoria seemed a little shy.

"She's not shy unless she's around you, Draco" Persephone said coyly, glancing over at her aunt, a smile forming on her lips. She then whispered in her aunt's ear "She fancies him!"

"What?" Draco demanded. "What did she say?"

Narcissa trilled a bell like laugh, "Nothing darling, nothing at all!"

"Ugh!" Draco huffed. "Dad, fancy a game of chess? In the library?" he said, standing up and leaving the room. Lucius sighed and followed his son, all the while Narcissa and Persephone barely suppressed their laughter.

Persephone then told her aunt about her first potions class and her encounter with Snape. "What did he mean about my father? I never really thought about him much. He said my mother worshipped him."

Narcissa looked concerned; her usually perfect brows were furrowed. "There is so much about your mother that I just don't understand" she said, looking at the confused girl before her. "Persephone, your mother and father had a very complex relationship, but what I can tell you is that your mother only worshipped one man, and that was the Dark Lord."

Persephone's disappointment was clear on her face. She wanted so much to understand this enigma. "Oh." She said looking down at her hands in her lap. She was quiet and still for quite some time before saying "Why did she do it? Why did she torture those Aurors when she knew I… when she knew she had other things to worry about… like me?"

Narcissa was stricken. Persephone's eyes began to glisten with unshed tears "Don't be sad, dear!" Narcissa said, sliding closer to her niece and rapping her arms around the girl. Persephone tentatively rested her head on her aunt's shoulder. Narcissa's reaction was instinctive and immediate. She held the girl closer and began to stroke her hair. Persephone closed her eyes, letting to pearl like tears slip down her cheeks. "Shh" she soothed, "your mother loved you very much. She still does! And everything she did," she paused, gripping Persephone by the shoulders and looking into her glossy eyes. "Everything she did was for you in the long run. It just didn't work out like she planned."

Persephone blinked back her tears, refusing to shed any more than the two that had already escaped her. She thought of what she had heard when the dementors were near. She wanted so much to believe her aunt was right. She might not understand it, but her mother must have loved her.

Narcissa hugged her niece again and took the fur from her lap and wrapped it around the girl's shoulders. Persephone suddenly felt very tired. She leaned into her aunt's embrace, losing any inhibition she had previously harbored. "Let me tell you a story about your mother" Narcissa said while softly stroking the girl's wild locks. "When I was your age and first went to Hogwarts, I was a nervous wreck. I was very shy you see, and I could barely speak to anyone other than my sisters." _Sisters? _Persephone thought_, There was another sister?_ "Your mother, however, was the most popular Slytherin at school. She was in her forth year at the time and every girl envied her and every boy was in love with her. I could tell she wasn't too keen on the idea of her first year, little sister tagging along, but she never said anything to me.

"At meal times, I always planted myself right next to Bella and tried my hardest not to interact with anyone else. This was not so easy though, you see, because there was a boy who sat across from us at the Slytherin table and he was very handsome." A slight laugh could be heard in Narcissa's voice. "He had sleek blonde hair and gray eyes, the color of storm clouds! I found myself staring at him over the toast and marmalade at breakfast, ogling him across the shepherd's pie and cranberry sauce at dinner." Persephone could not help but be reminded of Astoria, "And he was so charming! He was a third year though, and he certainly was not turning the charm on for me, no, of that I was sure. Like everyone else, he had his eye on Bella. Of course, he wasn't her type she told me repeatedly when we were alone. She thought he was a brainless pretty boy who relied on his looks, money, and family name to secure his place in life. She constantly tried to extinguish my crush, but on this matter, I would not be swayed. I thought he was the picture of perfection.

"By October, I was head over heels for the boy. The first Hogsmeade weekend was coming up and both my sisters and the boy were going. I was dreading being left alone in the Slytherin common room. I couldn't bear to have him out of my sight, and I was sure that with the influence of Butterbeer, he would come back to Hogwarts with a girlfriend.

"Well, I suppose your mother was sick of seeing me pout around because she promised to find a way to sneak me into Hogsmeade. It wasn't actually that difficult. There was this old statue of a humpbacked witch, I believe her name was Gunhilda of Gorsemoor, and all you had to do was tap it with your wand and say 'Dissendium' and the hump would open up to a passage that led to the basement of Honey Dukes, that's a candy shop in Hogsmeade.

"When we got to Hogsmeade, I had to stay hidden, because I was a first year and I was not allowed to visit Hogsmeade. Bella decided it would be best to take me to this little, shady pub called the Hog's Head. It was filthy and there were no other Hogwarts students there. I was beginning to feel rather guilty. My sister could have been spending that time with her friends, but instead she was in a dirty old bar with her pest of a little sister. Then the door creaked open and out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of that silky blonde hair. Bella was not the least bit surprised. She may not have liked the boy very much, but she knew how much he meant to me, and arranged for him to meet us at the Hog's Head. I couldn't have been more pleased, but then Bella got up and walked to the door. Like a shadow, I sprang up behind her and grabbed a handful of her robes. 'Where are you going?' I questioned desperately. I may have wanted to spend time with the boy, but I was not nearly brave enough to do so without my beautiful, strong, and infinitely more confident sister. She stayed something to the effect of 'you wanted this, well now you have it!' before leaving me in the dingy pub with only the bearded barman and the handsome boy for company."

Narcissa stopped speaking and sat up abruptly. "What happened next?" Persephone asked.

From the doorway came the voice of Lucius, "She married him, and they lived happily ever after." He said mischievously before pulling his wife to her feet and kissing her warmly.

"Oh Lucius," she half heartedly scolded, unable to stop smiling, "stop that, not in front of the child."

"It's very late my darling" he responded, "We should all go to bed."

Narcissa showed Persephone into a beautiful violet bedroom with a large canopy bed hung with silver curtains. The soft carpet felt like velvet under Persephone's bare feet. On the Victorian dresser sat a picture of a three girls. The one in the middle had heavily lidded eyes and wild hair. She was smiling and laughing with the two girls on either side of her. Persephone thought for a moment that the girl was her, but this girl was older; her defined jaw and high cheekbones were that of a girl on the verge of womanhood, not an eleven year old. To her left stood a girl who looked very like the first girl, but her caramel hair was lighter and not nearly as wild. Her hand was covering her laughing mouth in a timid sort of way. The girl on the right was clearly Narcissa. With her long blonde hair and blue eyes, she looked exactly as she did now. She tossed her hair over her shoulder repeatedly, laughing with the others.

"That's your mother in the middle" Narcissa said. Persephone jumped, she was so caught up in the picture, she had forgotten her aunt was in the room. "You look just like her." With that Narcissa kissed her niece on the forehead and bid her goodnight

Before getting into bed Persephone took the box her wand had come in out of her trunk and reread the letter she had written to her mother. That night she wrote her mother a second letter. She asked her mother about the third woman in the picture, her other aunt she could only assume. After she had finished writing, she folded the letter, like she had done the first one. She then took both letters, and instead of putting them in the box, she tucked them into the frame, behind the picture of her mother. She fell asleep dreaming of Hogsmeade weekends, laughing sisters, and her mother.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello readers! I am so sorry this took so long! My new job is rather time consuming. I promise never to take three months to post a new chapter again! As always, reviews are much appreciated! Thanks!**

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Christmas had come and gone in the blink of an eye, and before she knew it, Persephone was back at Hogwarts. "What does Draco's bedroom look like?" Astoria questioned over breakfast one morning

"Green." Persephone answered between bites of toast.

"Is that all?" Astoria replied, exasperated, "Does he have a Quidditch poster? He must! What team does he follow? Persephone, please! Tell me everything!"

"Oh, come off it Astoria!" Gabriel chided, "He's only human, why don't you just ask him?" and then to her horror, he did just that. "Hey, Draco! What's your Quidditch team? Astoria wants to know." Gabriel shouted to the other side of the Slytherin table.

A blond head then popped up to look their way. "Bulgaria!" Said Drako. Astoria nearly fell off her seat, but grabbed the sleeve of Persephone's robes just in time to right herself. Astoria promptly turned the color of a ripe tomato and grinned foolishly at Draco. He shook his head, before going on to say "Haven't you heard of Victor Krum? He's only 17 and he's the most Brilliant seeker alive! Makes Potter look like flying flubber worm!" He waited a moment, giving Astoria the opportunity to respond, but she just continued to grin in that dreamy, mindless way. "How about you? Don't you think Krum's the greatest seeker alive?"

Astoria could not stop herself. As soon as the words escaped her lips, she knew she sounded like an idiot, but speak them she did "You're the greatest seeker, Draco!" Gabriel made a disgusted grunt and Persephone groaned and looked away. And Astoria? She didn't know what to do, so she just stared at Draco grinning that awful grin.

"Um… thanks." Draco said before leaving the table, Crab and Goyle trailing behind him, laughing hysterically.

"You-" Persephone began, but Astoria cut her off.

"Don't." she said, glowering at her friends, face still red and blotchy, "Just don't."

A days worth of classes did not soften Astoria's dark mood.

"Why did I say that?" she mustered to herself in the back of the Slytherin common room. Their favorite seats by the fire were occupied by none other than Draco and his gang. "Why, why did I say that? Why did _you _say that?" she said, turning on Gabriel. "You just had to embarrass me, 'Draco, what's your Quidditch team? Astoria wants to know'" she said in in a mock innocent voice.

Gabriel looked up from his charms homework, "I said I'm sorry, would you stop your moping?"

"What's your Quidditch team?" She mimicked again.

"Can we please talk about something other than Quidditch?" Gabriel said, standing up, annoyed.

Astoria looked at him, just as irritated, "Oh I forgot, your still sore about not making the Slytherin house team." Standing up from her seat she continued, "You know they always say good things come in small packages, but I guess Flint didn't think so."

Persephone then stood and put herself between them. "That's enough, Astoria! That's uncalled for!"

"Oh fine, take his side!" Astoria shouted before bolting down the spiral staircase leading to the girl's dormitory.

Persephone sat down first, Gabriel looked at her before saying "Thanks" and sitting beside her.

"Don't thank me," she said, "you shouldn't make a fool of her in front of Draco either!"

"I know, I know" Gabriel said happily, "and I said I was sorry, I really am sorry. It won't happen again. But she didn't need me to make a fool out of her, she did a job of that on her own" he said laughing

Persephone raised her eyebrows at him, then cracked a grin that quickly turned into full laugh. "I can't believe she said that!" she said, out of breath from laughing.

"You're the best seeker, Draco!" Gabriel imitated, doubled over with laughter.

They didn't notice the large figure leering over them. Marcus Flint cleared his throat to make his presence known. "What's so funny? Did the pint size chaser hit a miniature quaffle into a teeny tiny ring?" a group of gigantic house players laughed from behind Flint.

"Bugger off, Flint!" Gabriel said, standing up and inadvertently displaying his size.

"Ooh, the ickle chaser's angry!"

Gabriel's eyes narrowed, "I'm sorry, Flint, are you having trouble understanding me? Let me try it in Troll!" Gabriel then proceeded to make a series of grunting noises, to the great amusement of the Slytherin beaters, Peregrine Derrick and Lucian Bole, who snorted with laughter.

"Shut up you two!" Flint said. Not being the brightest, he had trouble coming up with a witty quip. Instead, he lifted Gabriel by the back of his robes, and dangled him above his seat.

Persephone felt her blood pressure rising. _Who does this idiot think he is?_ Before she could think, she felt herself pulling her wand out of her robes and shouting "Oppungo!"

Every quill in the room, whether it be in use, or lying stagnant, flew into the air and jutted toward Flint who stood stupidly as he was repeatedly poked by points and tickled by feathers.

He dropped Gabriel immediately as the quills forced him to the ground. Laughing and crying all at once, he thrashed on the floor.

Gabriel looked at Persephone, who seemed to be surprised at what she had done. He began to laugh at the pathetic Flint. Others crowded around, pointing and laughing at the ridiculous sight.

Persephone felt something bubbling up inside her. Something powerful, pleasant, but slightly frightening. Suddenly it erupted from within her and burst from her mouth. A high pitched, derisive, almost insane, laugh.

It felt so good! Electricity ran from her arm through her wand and her whole body tingled with the sheer joy of causing this fool pain and humiliation! He deserved it after all.

Everyone was crowding around; the entire common room was clustered around the writhing idiot on the floor, laughing at him. But Persephone's cackle cut through the others. She couldn't stop it, in fact, she felt completely out of control.

Suddenly she felt a hand tighten over hers, firmly, but not aggressively. "That's enough, Persephone." Said Draco, lowering her wand for her.

A flood of emotions rushed over Persephone. First anger. _Why did he stop me?_ Then shock. _Why couldn't I stop myself?_ Finally she felt relief. _Its over_, she thought.

"I don't know what came over me, Draco." She said in a low voice so only he could hear. The others were still laughing at Flint as he pulled himself up from the ground.

"I think you should go bed, Persephone. You look exhausted." he replied, concern written all over his face.

She felt exhausted. Drained of all energy. "Yes, I think I will." And she slipped away unnoticed. Before falling asleep she wrote her mother another letter, relaying the nights experience and the strange joy she felt in causing Flint pain. Her mother was said to enjoy torturing others. Did this make her like her mother? Persephone felt terrible.


	11. Chapter 11

Persephone woke up on the cold earth. She propped herself up on a large pumpkin. Her head was throbbing. A pumpkin? Then she remembered. She was hiding from the dementors in the pumpkin patch. _What were the dementors doing on the Hogwarts grounds?_ Everything felt foggy and mismatched like a puzzle with bent pieces, and she couldn't fit it all together. She thought back to the earlier events of the day.

Term was coming to a close and the pressure and stress imposed by the looming end of term exams was quickly replaced with the dread of returning to St. Margaret's. Persephone had expected the Malfoys to ask her to stay with them for the summer, but over the Easter holiday Aunt Cissy had told her the Minister would not allow it. It was like the rug had been pulled out from under her. She though she was part of a family! No longer alone in the universe, but this summer she would once again be a lonely orphan.

"You can stay with me, Persephone!" Astoria offered while sitting by the fire in the Slytherin common room. "My mother and father are dying to meet you! You too, Gabe" she added brightly. Gabriel and Astoria were being especially cordial to one another, having only reconciled recently

Persephone smiled weekly in reply and answered, "Thanks."

"And the Quidditch world cup is this summer!" Gabriel said "My dads going to get tickets for all three of us!"

"Great." Persephone said sourly. "Look, I think I'm going to take a walk. I just need to be alone for a while."

Astoria's smile faltered, "Persephone! You can't! Its already dark out, you'll get a detention."

"No I wont, I'm just going to get some fresh air, then I'll be back, I promise." She said as she stood up to leave.

When she arrived in the entrance hall, Persephone tiptoed to the door and tentatively poked her head out to see if Filch was lurking around the bend. The coast was clear so she started toward the forest, seeking the cover of the trees. She did not want to be caught, but the castle felt stifling. She had to get out.

Persephone found her self enjoying the walk along the edge of the woods. It's really a shame, she thinks, that students cannot enjoy the warm weather after nightfall, all because of Sirius Black. Her mother's cousin, she recalled. He had escaped from Azkaban months ago and still had the entire wizarding world in a frenzy.

She had never really thought about it, but it was quite curious that he would be able to escape. If he was so close to the dark lord, wouldn't he have been close to her mother as well? He was her cousin after all. Wouldn't he be able to help her escape? Persephone knew this notion was irrational, crazy even, but now that the thought had entered her mind, she couldn't stop thinking about it. Maybe, she thought, maybe he could help her escape and the two of them could hide in Malfoy Mannor! Its huge after all, no one would know they were there; they would never be discovered!

"Of course they would be discovered, Persephone." She spoke out loud to herself. If her mother escaped Azkaban, the first place the Aurors would check would be her sister's home. She would have to go far away, leave the country perhaps. If Bellatrix Lestrange escaped Azkaban, she would be even farther away and more inaccessible to the daughter who so desperately wants to know her.

Persephone then sat on a tree stump forbidding any thoughts of a reunion with her mother. Her mother will never escape Azkaban, this she knows, so there is no point entertaining these delusions.

The evening was warm and Persephone had left the castle with out her cloak, but a sharp chill began to crawl up her body. She shivered and pulled her light robes around her. Then, by some chance, she peeked over her shoulder and saw a cloud of black advancing on her. "What on earth?" she questioned. Squinting, she could just make out the figures that make up the dark mass and the realization flooded over her. "Dementors!" She whispered into the night.

Without thinking, she stood up and bolted. Hagrid's hut was not far from her sheltered spot beneath the trees and so she ran as fast as her legs would carry her toward it.

She pounded on the door, shrieked for Hagrid to come open it, but no answer came. She ran around the back of the house, and seeing the large patch of pumpkins, she decided to hide there.

They were close, she could feel the cold, clammy air shouting the presence of dementors. Panicking, she ducked low behind a pumpkin and tried to keep her grip on reality. She could hear her mother screaming. She closed her eyes tight and clamped her hands over her ears, but the closer the dementors got, the further Persephone slipped into distant memories.

"_Please don't take her! Please just let me hold her a moment longer!"_ Her mothers cries echoed in her ears _"My lord, please! Come back for me! I have always been faithful! My baby, my Persephone! Master! Master! I beg of you, do not let this happen!" _

"Stop it!" Persephone cried ridiculously, then even more absurd, she sobbed, "Mother!"

No longer able to hold herself up, and even less able to maintain her grasp on realism, she let the darkness envelop her. Down, down, down she fell into the blackness of her mind.

"_My baby, my Persephone!"_ she heard faintly just before slipping into unconsciousness.

After waking up in the cool darkness, it took Persephone some time to regain a semblance of reality. Peering over the edge of a pumpkin she saw that the dementors were gone. In an attempt to stop her hands from trembling she dug her fingernails into the dirt.

Just as Persephone began to stand up, she noticed a strange sight coming from the forest: a small rodent, a rat or perhaps a possum, expanding rapidly until it transformed into a fully clothed, rather plump and shabby looking, man. She gasped catching his attention and suddenly she found herself immobile, arms clamped to her sides and legs fastened together.

He approached her, wand in hand, and she realized that it was her wand in his hand. She must have dropped it when she ran for cover in the pumpkin patch.

"Persephone Lestrange!" he said, with watering eyes and a sickening smile. "You have your mothers eyes." A nervous laugh followed his words. "Dear, I'm going to need to speak with you."

Persephone wanted to scream. In her mind she was screaming, crying, cursing! But she was frozen. She searched her mind for the counter curse but could not think of it. Suddenly, she remembered that her friends knew where she was going. Surely they will come looking for her! Or send Snape for her!

"I'm going to release you so we can speak. Do not get any ideas about running, I'll, I'll kill you if you move." He then lifted the curse but Persephone did not dare move with her own want pointed at her.

"Who are you?" She barked authoritatively, surprising even herself with her braver.

"Oh Persephone, you do not need to be afraid! I am a friend of your parents! A very good friend!"

"Then why do you have my wand? And why did you attack me?"

"Attack?" the man answered, "No! I just… just wanted to talk to you!"

Persephone's eyes narrowed. "Then give me back my wand!" She hissed, venom in her voice.

"Haha" the man laughed nervously, "You do remind me of your mother. But it is actually your father I wanted to know about."

"I don't know anything about him." Persephone said. "And I need to get back to Hogwarts. My friends know I'm out, they'll worry and they'll send Snape."

"Snape is otherwise occupied." The man snickered. "My name is… you can call me Wormtail."

"It suits you." Persephone spat back at him.

He emitted a anxious gurgle before saying "Now, about your father, have you any idea where he could be? Africa, perhaps? America?"

"He's in Azkaban!" She yelled.

"No, not Lestrange, your real father."

_What on earth could he mean?_ she thought before snapping "I don't know what you are talking about." Her fear quickly dissipating, she was livid with the sheer injustice of being held up with her own wand by this sniveling fool.

Wormtail's jowls flapped as his face curls in to a hideous, watery eyed smile. "Come now, don't tell me they never told you?"

"Tell me what? What is going on?!"

"Your father is the Dark Lord!"

Persephone topples back against a pumpkin, feeling as if the earth had shifted "What? No, that can't be. Aunt Cissy would have told me!"

"You must know I'm correct dearie. You-" he stuttered, "you are powerful, I've seen that." Persephone did not think to question how he knew of her magical skills. She could not think of anything but her father. It made so much sense. Her mother worshiped him. He was talented and charismatic. The clues were in front of her all along! "Trust old Wormy, he'll tell you the truth!"

She looked at him, suddenly seeing possibility in his soggy expression. "Wormtail is it?" He nodded. "Wormtail, do you mean to tell me that the Dark Lord is alive?"

"Oh yes!" he uttered. "He's alive, and I'm going to find him! When he returns to power I will be his favorite, his most treasured servant!"

"I believe my mother holds that position." Persephone said, straitening up and quickly snatching her wand from Wormtail.

"Yes, yes of course!" Wormtail then replied, shrinking into the earth in cowardly reverence, "Miss Persephone, the sooner I find him, the sooner he regains power! And when he is back, he will surly free your mother from Azkaban! You could help me!"

Persephone frowned. "I've already told you, I don't know where he is." She took a deep breath before saying, "But I will help you in any way I can. I will finance your search if need be." Wormtail nodded in a sickeningly submissive fashion. "But you must report back to me as much as possible and inform me of your progress."

"Of course, of course! Thank you!"

She then emptied her pockets and gave him the little money she had with her, promising to mail more to a curtain pub in Germany where Wormtail said he would be. She had no idea where she was going to get money, but she was determined to do get it somehow, even if she had to lie, steal, cheat, or kill.

By the time Persephone arrived back at the castle it was after midnight. Astoria and Gabriel were forced off to bed by Prefects and Persephone had the common room to herself. She used the time and privacy to write her mother another letter, the longest yet.

She could not decide whether she was angry with Aunt Cissy or not. "I'll think about it tomorrow." She said to herself. She fell asleep thinking about her mother escaping Azkaban, finally believing the dream to be attainable!

Yet no matter how pleasant this musing was, she could not chase from her mind the image of her father. Persephone's dreams were filled with murder and devastation. The knowledge that her father was the most dangerous wizard of all time, seeped into her mind while she slept and nightmares haunted her rest.


	12. Chapter 12

**Ok, I'm really sorry this took forever and a half to update! Thanks for staying with the story, readers!**

Persephone felt as if the summer would never end. She was miserable and lonely at St. Margaret's and she missed her friends desperately. At least she had the Quidditch World Cup to look forward to. Gabriel said in his last letter that he would write her soon and let her know when he and his family would come to collect her, so when the owl flew into the empty recreation room at St. Margaret's, Persephone eagerly pealed the sealing wax off the envelope and tore the letter out. It wasn't much of a letter though. Just a torn piece of parchment with three words written on it:

_I found him_

Her mind reeled. Could it mean what she thought it meant? It must! Not a day went by when Persephone didn't think about Wormtail and his promise to find the Dark Lord. Her father. It still made her uncomfortable to think about him like that. It scared her and yet, it gave her hope. If her father returned to power, her mother would surely be released from Azkaban and they could be together!

And now Wormtail had found him! She had so many questions! What was her father like now? Was he all right or permanently damaged? He must be quite ill she thought, or surely he would have made another attempt to rise to power already. Would he want to see her? Would he even know about her?

She decided to write Wormtail back right away. But she didn't know where to send the letter. She looked at the tawny, sharp-eyed owl that had made the delivery and decided he would probably know where to take it.

_Wormtail,_

_I'm impressed. Do tell me how he is._

She paused and wondered whether she should ask anything else.

_Please let him know I will do whatever I can to help him._

_ Persephone_

She quickly sealed the letter and sent it on its way. How she wished she could ask all the questions that plagued her mind, but she was afraid. She would have to take it slow.

Gabriel's letter came the following morning and less than a week later, she was at the Quidditch World Cup.

"Persephone!" Astoria whispered, her wide eyes gleaming from the bottom bunk of the bed in the incredible tent Gabriel's parents had brought. "I- I can't believe this! I thought for sure that Worm bloke would never find the Dark- your father, but- but this is- its…"

"Absolutely brilliant!" Gabriel said. Persephone looked at him, quizzically.

"Really?" she questioned.

In the dark tent, his smile shimmered in the wand light. "Of course. He's your father! You'll have a father!"

Persephone smiled back. "Yeah. And maybe a mother too." That thought filled her with hope. "But he's… I mean he's a pretty… you know, evil man! He killed about a thousand people!"

"Well," Astoria began, "he wasn't killing for fun, there was a war on! He was fighting for what he believed in!"

Gabriel chimed in saying, "My dad always says there wouldn't have been any killing or anything if the ministry had-"

But Gabriel's words were cut off by the commotion outside the tent. The three children rushed out to see what was going on.

"Gabriel!" a voice called from the tent opposite theirs. It was his father. "Stay with me children, stay together." But Persephone had already bolted for the Malfoy's tent.

Narcissa was white as a ghost, staring at something in the distance. Persephone ran to her aunt, who clung to her. "Oh thank goodness. I should have told you to stay with us, I knew it, and Lucius" she looked at her niece's stricken face, "oh darling don't be frightened. You're perfectly safe. There's nothing to be scared of."

"But y_ou're_ scared! I can tell." Persephone said worriedly.

Narcissa smiled weakly. "No darling, I'm embarrassed. And well, yes a little scared someone will realize that's my husband parading around in a mask." She said, gesturing toward a cluster of hooded figures in the middle of the camp ground.

Persephone's mouth dropped open. The hooded figures were not alone, suspended above them were… well they must be muggles. Even muggle children. Her uncle and the others were torturing them!

"But they- those poor people!" she shouted

Narcissa was surprised. "They'll be fine, dear, they won't remember a thing. But your senseless uncle could get himself arrested! And your cousin! He's run off to get a better view, honestly I have know control over those boys!" She gave Persephone a squeeze. "Thank Merlin I have you."

Persephone felt like crying. It was horrible. Was she supposed to enjoy seeing muggles humiliated? Her cousin certainly enjoyed it. What would her mother do? She knew the answer to that, and she didn't what to think about it.

"Persephone, there you are!" Gabriel's father called as he strode toward them, Gabriel and Astoria in toe. "Hello, Madame Malfoy, I trust you are well." He bowed slightly.

"Yes thank you Mr. Urquhart." Narcissa said. She looked like an ice princess, Persephone thought, condescending to speak to the commoners. "You don't mind if I steal my niece for the rest of the evening, do you?" she smiled superiorly. "I could use some company."

"Of course." He replied.

Gabriel and Astoria waved as they retreated back to the Urquhart tent. Persephone felt badly that her friends felt so inferior in the presence of her aunt but there was a part of her that liked it. She'd always been the lowest of the low, but with the Malfoys, she was special. Did that make her a bad person?

As she entered the spectacular brilliance of the Malfoy tent, she saw a framed picture of herself on the end table. The picture had been taken on Christmas. She was waving and smiling along side the Malfoys. Her family. What did it matter if she was a bad person, she had a family.


End file.
